jcrewismyfavstore

jcrewismyfavstore

Monday, March 30, 2015

Yep, you read that right, I'm reviewing a dress! This is the second dress that I have tried/worn since my wedding day, July 26, 2003. I am not sure why I typically shy away from dresses, but I do. The J. Crew Aquatic Floral Silk Dress is SO pretty that I had to try it.

Here are two IRL pictures of the dress:

I took my normal size 14 in this beauty. The fit and the quality is superb in my opinion. This print is one of the many reasons why I love J. Crew SO much. I felt extra sassy in this beauty. I know that this is the start of branching out more for me. I am reminded of this super funny "Folding a Fitted Sheet" Lowe's commercial in which the guy feels "like he can do anything" after following the tips to improve his lawn.

Friday, March 27, 2015

I am a huge fan of the "roz floral" print that is currently available at the J. Crew Factory. The pencil skirt in this print is stunning (review here). I decided to grab the loafers in this print, too.

I am typically a size 9 in shoes, but I take a size 9.5 in factory loafers. I think that this shoe is very well-made. The pattern is striking, fun, and vibrant. This shoe will add a great pop of color to a fun spring outfit!

More "roz floral" options:

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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

I have been thinking about this post for a very long time, so I decided to finally get it out. And, the time seems really apropos given the recent stories and claims that the loyal J. Crew female shopper is losing interest in the brand (here is a link to the Washington Post story). So, I will preface my confessions with the reminder that I have been an anomaly ALL my life.

These are my confessions.......(I have Usher's song in my head.....sans the references to adultery.....)

Confession #1: I am still that into J. Crew! I am NOT losing interest in the brand. I still eagerly anticipate looking through the new catalog and browsing the new arrivals when they debut online. And, I have as many, or more, favorites as I did when I started shopping J. Crew when I was a graduate student in 1998. To be sure, there are pieces that make me go, "hmmmmm, what were they thinking," but not many. Most often, people tend to like the very item that I find questionable. For example, the Fringe Tank from several rollouts ago was a major hit in the JCA community, but I am not a fan. Quite frankly, I think that the top is hashtag hideous. And, that is one of the reasons why I refrain from reviewing things that I absolutely dislike. I do not want to sway other people. Just because I do not like it does not mean that someone else will not. Or, just because it does not work well on my body type does not mean that it will not work for someone else.

Confession #2: J. Crew is hands down my favorite store. 99.9 percent of my wardrobe is J. Crew, but that does not mean that I do not have issues with the brand, I do. I have written about this before, but J. Crew absolutely refuses to offer size 14 skirts and pants in their retail stores, which is flat out maddening. I think about whether they want me to shop the brand. I am a LOYAL customer, and I wonder how hard it is to stock one extra size (an average size for women today, I might add) in retail stores. I have written letter after letter; and, I have provided feedback via my online and retail VPSs more times than I care to admit. In the end, I have decided to stick with the brand because their products fit well, they are well-made, and they fit my style.

Confession #3: I am really happy with several new items including the Regent Blazer, which is reminiscent (to a certain degree) of the Bella Jackets from circa 2007.

The collar of the Regent adds a great pop (pun intended) to the classic blazer.